Bucket List

When I retired in 2014, one of the first things I did was to create a bucket list.  Everyone knows what a bucket list is.  It is what you would like to do before you "kick the bucket".  I admit mine is not very long and most of what I have on it will never come to pass (unless I win the lottery).  However, there is one item on that list that I decided to shoot for.  I have always wanted to write a children's book and get it published.  So with that idea in mind, I started looking for inspiration on what
kind of story to tell.  I didn't have far to look because being a retired teacher who loved to read to her students, I had a great many examples of the kinds of stories the children and I preferred.  I came up with the idea to write a fictional story about animals which included real life facts about those animals.  The animals would be those that I have seen on my property in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  It took me a number of months to get an outline and then first draft pulled together.  I am now working on the final draft and when I have finished it, I have a number of publishing houses I will send it to.  I know that my chances of being published are quite slim but how can you be sure if you don't try.  And I see this as part of the adventure of retirement, having the time to shoot for the dream.  Maybe I should take a look at my bucket list again.  There might be another item on that list to shoot for.